National Constituent Assembly

“ Furthermore, we pledge ourselves to assure that it shall be the people, by means of an electoral process in full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms, who will elect the Constituent Assembly and, later, the national authorities. ”

“ Article 2 The States may merge with one another, sub-divide or partition in order to annex themselves to others or form new States, by vote of the respective legislative assemblies, plebiscite of the populations directly concerned and approval of the National Congress. ”

“ National Guards, eighty thousand being present. Such scenes can only be witnessed in Paris.
Events proceeded with strange rapidity. A Constituent Assembly was called by the Provisional Government to form a constitution. The members were elected by ballot, the suffrage being universal—that is, open to all Frenchmen over twenty-one. The election took place in April, and on the 4th of May the first session was held, being officially announced to the assembled people from the steps of the Chamber of Deputies. ”

“ These included the complete freedom of religious worship, freedom of the press, speech, petition, the right of assembly, the separation of state and church; universal suffrage, including women, the national representation of minorities and proportional representation. The new National Assembly, which was to remain in power until proper popular elections could be held, was composed of 260 members. ”

“ We who remain free number a hundred and twenty Republican Representatives. Let us install ourselves in this hall. Let us install ourselves in the fulness and majesty of the Legislative Power. Henceforward we are the Assembly, the whole of the Assembly! Let us sit there, deliberate there, in our official sashes, in the midst of the People. Let us summon the Faubourg St. Antoine to its duty, let us shelter there the National Representation, let us shelter there the popular sovereignty. ”

“ In exercising these rights and freedoms, the legitimate representatives of the people met to draft a Constitution that corresponded to the aspirations of the country. The Constituent Assembly affirms the decision of the Portuguese people to defend national independence, to guarantee the fundamental rights of citizens, to establish the basic principles of democracy, to ensure the primacy of the democratic rule of law and to pave the way for a socialist society, while respecting the will of the Portuguese people, with a view to building a freer, fairer and more fraternal country. ”

“ The actions that Municipalities have the power to take within the scope of their competence are without prejudice to national and state competence as defined by law in accordance with the Constitution. ”

“ On the one side, 750 representatives of the people, elected and qualified for re-election by universal suffrage, who constitute an uncontrollable, indissoluble, indivisible National Assembly, a National Assembly that enjoys legislative omnipotence, that decides in the last instance over war, peace and commercial treaties, that alone has the power to grant amnesties, and that, through its perpetuity, continually maintains the foreground on the stage ”

“ The National Assembly, as the principal legislative authority in and over Namibia, shall have the power, subject to this Constitution, to make and repeal laws for the peace, order and good government of the country in the best interest of the people of Namibia. ”

“ Foreign citizens persecuted on account of their struggle for the principles of democracy, for national liberation, the rights of the working people or the freedom of scientific and cultural work, enjoy the right of asylum in the Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Section 32. It is the duty of every citizen to work according to his abilities; he who does not contribute to the community cannot receive from it. Section 33. All public offices are equally accessible to all citizens in accordance with the conditions of the law. ”

“ All authority in the Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia derives from the people and belongs to the people. (2) The people exercise their authority through freely elected representative organs of state authority, the people's committees, which, from local people's committees up to the assemblies of the people's republics and the People's Assembly of the F.P.R.Y., originated and developed during the struggle for national liberation against fascism and reaction, and are the fundamental achievement of that struggle. ”

“ The National Defense Council is the highest consultative organ for planning and advising the Public Power as to matters relating to the overall defense of the Nation, its sovereignty and the integrity of its geographical space. ”

“ Vietnam is a territorially indivisible, unified and independent republic. (2) Sovereignty resides in the People. Article 2. (1) The State recognizes and guarantees the basic rights of all citizens. (2) The State advocates equality of all citizens without discrimination as to sex, religion, race or political party. Ethnic minorities will receive special support so that they can keep up with the rate of progress of the nation as a whole. (3) It is the duty of every citizen to serve the national interests. ”

“ That is why the constituent work cannot and should not be in charge of these bodies. Instead, the Constituent Assembly will be elected by the people exclusively to dedicate itself to preparing, within a predetermined period, a draft Constitution, the product of political debate and pluralist agreement, which will be submitted to a referendum. ”

“ Constitutionally, the Grand National Assembly, as the highest voice of the people, is asserted to be the supreme organ of state power, and all other government bodies are theoretically subordinate to it. ”

“ Representatives and senators have the right to keep secret the origin of documents presented to the National Assembly. (5) Responsibilities of representatives or senators are not compatible with any other elected or appointed position. (6) Representatives and senators may serve as instructors at universities and advanced technical schools. (7) Under no circumstances may a representative or senator or his spouse bid in or sign a contract with a Government agency. ”

“ The Assembly of the Republic may vote motions of no confidence in the Government on the execution of its program or on relevant matters of national interest, on the initiative of a quarter of its Members in full exercise of their office or any parliamentary group. ”

“ Persons shall be qualified to vote in elections for Local Authorities Councils if such persons have been resident within the jurisdiction of a Local Authority for not less than one (1) year immediately prior to such election and if such persons are qualified to vote in elections for the National Assembly. (4) Different provisions may be made by the Act of Parliament referred to in Paragraph (2) in regard to different types of Local Authorities. ”

“ As regards your question about depleted Assemblies, as there is nothing in the constitution of the National Spiritual Assembly covering these matters, every National Body is free to make its own decision as to what the status of an Assembly is from one annual election to the next, if they fall below nine for any reason. ”

“ There are those who question why a Constituent Assembly is needed, if the Constitution can be amended by Congress. Those who make this objection should remember that the Executive Branch must concentrate on governing, and Congress on legislating and exercising political control over the government; tasks that must be referred to attend the urgent matters of each day. ”

“ It was decided that there should be a representative for every group of 50,000 inhabitants, and that the election should be by universal suffrage. A considerable party wished that the preliminary parliament should continue to act until the assembly should be formed, but this was overruled, the majority contenting themselves with the appointment of a committee of 50, whose duty it should be in the interval to guard the national interests. ”